1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to backpacking devices and more particularly to a backpacking device which can be used as a tree-supported seat.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Sportsman, hunters, photographers and other wilderness and wild life enthusiasts, in order to hunt or observe indigenous wildlife, often must remain relatively motionless for extended periods of time while waiting for game to appear, especially where there is no ready means of concealment, and the relative immobility serves as the only form of concealment available. It can be extremely uncomfortable and tiring for the hunter or the like to stand still for an extended period, and equally uncomfortable to sit or lie on damp or cold ground. As a consequence, various types of tree seats have been employed by outdoorsmen to alleviate, at least to some extent, the discomfort and fatigue.
Tree seats for use by hunters generally comprise a platform adapted to support the person seated thereon, and which is attached to a tree trunk to hold the seat in place in its operative position. The means by which the seat or platform is attached to the tree trunk is generally a tether of adjustable length such as a chain or rope, which is attached to the platform and is wrapped around the tree trunk.
It is almost always the case that the desired location for the hunter to take station is sufficiently far from civilization or any roads to require considerable walking or hiking to get to it. The hunter or outdoorsman will therefore want to carry food, water and other supplies and equipment which may be desirable or necessary for comfort, safety, survival and success of the particular mission. Such supplies are usually carried in a hiker's backpack.
Backpack devices which also serve as free-standing seating means are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,938,400 of Springston; U.S. Pat. No. 5,303,975 of Asato; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,445,301 of Biedenharn. The devices of Springston and Biedenharn are understandably of relatively heavy weight because of the structural elements required of a free-standing seat to support the user. The device of Asato, although of light-weight construction, disposes the backpack behind the seated user. In such manner of backpack disposition, needed supplies such as ammunition, binoculars, game-call device, photographic supplies, insect repellant, handgun, food, water, etc., are relatively inaccessible without considerable movement.
Backpack devices which also serve as tree-supported seating means are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,148,376 of Campbell; U.S. Pat. No. 4,582,165 of Latini; U.S. Pat. No. 4,989,766 of Lewallyn et. al.; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,381,941 of Brune. One common disadvantageous feature of such devices is that adequate leg clearance between the seating panel and the ground is achieved by virtue of proper placement of the securing means which attach the device to the tree. After long periods of time, sagging or slippage of the device diminishes said leg clearance unless the non-slip provisions of Lewallyn et. al. are employed, which increase the weight of the device. Another shortcoming of said tree-supported seat devices is that the backpack component must generally be removed before deploying the device as a seat.
Inasmuch as the art is relatively crowded with respect to these various types of combination packs and seats, it can be appreciated that there is a continuing need for and interest in improvements to such combination packs and seats, and in this respect, the present invention addresses this need and interest.
It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide an improved combination of a backpack and tree-supported seat.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a combination as in the foregoing object wherein the backpack remains associated with said combination and readily accessible to the user in the seat mode of use of the combination.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a combination of the aforesaid nature which affords to the user in the seated position adequate leg clearance height above ground level.
It is a still further object of this invention to provide a combination of the aforesaid nature of light weight and simple, durable construction amenable to low cost manufacture.
These objects and other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description.